The present invention relates generally to optical disk drivers which drives optical disks (generally called CD-ROMs) and operational processing apparatuses having such optical disk drivers therein, and more particularly to an optical disk driver using a top-loading mechanism and an operational processing apparatus having such an optical disk driver therein. The term "a top-loading mechanism", as used herein, means a mechanism for inserting and/or ejecting an optical disk via a top surface of the optical disk driver. And the term "an operational processing apparatus", as used herein, means an apparatus having an operational processor, such as a personal computer, and a CD-ROM driver.
FIGS. 1 to 3 shows example of different types of CD-ROM drivers. FIG. 1 shows a CD-ROM driver using the top-loading mechanism separated from a personal computer. FIG. 2 shows a CD-ROM driver having the top-loading mechanism united with a personal computer. FIG. 3 shows a CD-ROM driver having a front-loading mechanism united with a personal computer. The term "a front-loading mechanism", as used herein, means a mechanism for inserting and/or ejecting an optical disk from a radial direction thereof via a front surface of the optical disk driver. The numbers 1, 4 and 6 indicate CD-ROM drivers, numbers 2, 5 and 7 indicate personal computers, a number 3 indicates an interface cable, a number 5a indicates a display unit, and a number 8 indicates a CD-ROM, respectively.
However, the above conventional CD-ROM drivers have the following disadvantages:
1. Since the CD-ROM driver 1 in FIG. 1 is coupled to the personal computer 2 via the interface cable 3, a relatively large space is necessary in which to locate the operational processing apparatus;
2. Since the CD-ROM driver 4 in FIG. 2 uses the top-loading mechanism, a display unit 5a cannot be placed on the personal computer 5;
3. Since the CD-ROM driver 6 uses the front-loading mechanism which is more complicated than the top loading mechanism, the cost of the operational processing apparatus becomes more expensive.